Friday, September 28, 2007

Well I am filling in for Carl for a few weeks while he and Karen are off on vacation.

Last weeks game was a nail bitter for sure for all Husker fans. Unfortunately the defense looked the same as it did the previous week against USC. At least the offense was able to keep pace with Ball State and the both sides of the ball did take care of business when it counted. Bo Ruud's timely interception return for a touchdown seemed to be the big turning point in the game. Of course, I along with many other Husker faithful were not able to breathe until the field goal sailed wide left to preeserve the one point victory. The defense definitely needs to get better quickly as Big 12 conference games start this weekend forr the Huskers. Hopefully, better things are yet to come as Carl said last week!

This week's game against Iowa State is not available for TV viewing. Game is set to set at 11:05 PST Saturday morning. The only way to follow the game may be by radio if you live in an area where Husker Sports Network is available which is not the Bay Area typically.

Our next planned watch party won't be till the following week when we take on the Missouri Tigers in Columbia with a kickoff at 6:15 PST and TV coverage provided by ESPN.

Nebraska moves into the second phase of its schedule this Saturday when the Huskers open Big 12 Conference play against Iowa State in Lincoln. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. in front of the 286th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium. There is no television for the contest, but the game can be heard on the Husker Sports Network.

The two teams enter Saturday’s game after coming out on the opposite end of one-point games against opponents from the Mid-American Conference last weekend. The Huskers rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Ball State, 41-40, while Iowa State dropped a 36-35 decision at Toledo on Saturday night.

The victory over Ball State allowed Nebraska to complete the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 3-1 mark, giving the Huskers a winning non-league record for the 26th straight season. The Huskers will enter Saturday’s game ranked 25th in the Associated Press poll and 22nd in the USA Today Coaches poll.

Iowa State comes to Lincoln with a 1-3 record, following its loss at Toledo on Saturday. The Cyclones, under the direction of first-year coach Gene Chizik, also suffered close losses to Kent State and Northern Iowa, while posting an impressive 15-13 victory over in-state rival Iowa on Sept. 15 in Ames.

The Huskers have historically dominated Iowa State in Lincoln, winning each of the past 14 matchups between the two schools at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska also has a long history of success in conference openers, winning 31 of its last 32 league openers, including 10 of 11 since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1996.========

Huskers Use Record-Setting Passing Performance to Survive Shootout with Ball State

On a record-setting day at Memorial Stadium, the Nebraska offense rolled up 552 yards to power the Huskers to a 41-40 victory over visiting Ball State in a game that featured eight lead changes. Senior quarterback Sam Keller completed 29-of-37 passes for three touchdowns and a school-record 438 yards to overcome a high-powered Cardinal offense.

Keller threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns in the second half alone, including an 11-yard scoring strike to Maurice Purify with 3:13 to play to account for the final margin. However, the victory was not secure until Ball State missed a 55-yard field goal attempt with 17 seconds remaining.

Keller’s record-setting day highlighted an offensive explosion, as the two teams combined for 1,162 yards of total offense, including 610 by Ball State, keyed by quarterback Nate Davis’ 422 passing yards. The teams combined for 57 points after halftime and the final punt of the afternoon occurred midway through the third quarter.

In addition to Keller, several other Huskers had big offensive days. I-back Marlon Lucky set a record of his own by catching an NU running back record 11 passes for 81 yards. His 11 catches were the second-most ever by any Husker and he totaled 183 all-purpose yards with 102 rushing yards on 21 carries. Tight end Sean Hill caught three passes for 129 yards, while wide receiver Maurice Purify had six catches for 122 yards, marking the first time in school history Nebraska had a pair of 100-yard receivers in the same game.

The first quarter did not give an indication of the shootout to come. Nebraska took the opening kickoff and marched 63 yards in nine plays, capped by Lucky’s 28-yard touchdown run. Ball State tied the score early in the second quarter after a 10-play, 80-yard drive, when the Cardinals converted three third-and-long situations. Ball State added a field goal to take a 10-7 lead before Nebraska responded with an impressive 73-yard drive just before halftime to take a 14-10 edge into the locker room.

A Nebraska fumble on its first drive of the second half set up a BSU touchdown for a 17-14 lead. Following a pair of punts, Keller hooked up with Hill for a perfect 73-yard touchdown pass on third down. The Cardinals re-took the lead on a 43-yard touchdown by MiQuale Lewis, but the third-quarter explosion was not over. Keller capped Nebraska’s next drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Nate Swift in the corner of the end zone to give the Huskers a 28-24 edge. The see-saw affair continued as Davis hooked up with Dante Love for a 58-yard touchdown with just 54 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The Cardinals took the largest lead of the game at 37-28 with 12:50 to play following a long touchdown drive, but Ball State missed the extra point. Nebraska fumbled deep in Ball State territory on its next drive, but senior linebacker Bo Ruud made the biggest defensive play of the day by intercepting a Davis pass and racing 34 yards for a score to pull NU within 37-35 with 9:21 left. Davis marched the Cardinals down the field for a field goal and a 40-35 edge with 7:05 to play, but Keller was again up to the task.

Keller was 7-of-7 passing for 78 yards on the ensuing drive, capped by the touchdown pass to Purify. NU’s two-point try failed, but the Huskers led 41-40 with just over three minutes remaining. Ball State drove to the Nebraska 38 before stalling and Jake Hogue’s 55-yard field goal try to win the game sailed wide left.=========

Huskers Hope to Continue Dominance of ISU in Lincoln

Iowa State has won just six times in 54 tries against Nebraska in Lincoln and in recent years, the Huskers have made life at Memorial Stadium miserable for the visitors from the east. Nebraska has won the past 14 matchups against the Cyclones in Lincoln, and has scored at least 27 points in each of those 14 games. The Huskers have had a victory margin of at least 28 points in 13 of the last 14 matchups with Iowa State in Lincoln, with the lone exception a 27-20, double-overtime victory in 2005.

Since a 24-21 Iowa State win at Memorial Stadium in 1977, the Huskers have outscored ISU 666-155 in 14 matchups in Lincoln, an average score of 47.6-11.1. Iowa State scored more than 14 points in Lincoln just once since 1989, and that occurred in the 2005 overtime contest.

Nebraska in the Midst of Rugged 2007 Schedule

The non-conference schedule that Nebraska has finished is just the start of a difficult 2007 Nebraska schedule. Among Nebraska's 12 regular-season contests, eight will be against teams that participated in a bowl game following last season. That began in the season’s first three weeks with games against Nevada (MPC Computers Bowl), Wake Forest (Orange Bowl) and USC (Rose Bowl). In league play, Nebraska will take on five 2006 bowl teams including home games against Oklahoma State (Independence), Texas A&M (Holiday) and Kansas State (Texas). On the road, Nebraska will face a pair of bowl teams during trips to Missouri (Sun) and Texas (Alamo). The Huskers' home schedule figures to be among the nation's best, and NU faces five 2006 bowl teams in Lincoln, one of just 13 schools to face five or more bowl teams on their home field, including just two Big 12 schools.Bowl Opponents at Home in 20077–Stanford6–LSU, Michigan5–Nebraska, Texas, Clemson, Rutgers, Penn State, UCLA, Washington, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi===========

Huskers Explode for Record-Setting Passing Day Against Ball State

Nebraska opened the season with a strong rushing effort against Nevada, but the past two weeks NU has unleashed a high-powered passing attack directed by senior quarterback Sam Keller.

Keller has threw for a school-record 438 yards against Ball State on Saturday, one week after throwing for 389 yards against USC. The 389-yard effort ranks as the No. 5 passing day in school history, and the back-to-back 300-yard passing days mark the first time in school history Nebraska has accomplished that feat.

In addition to Keller’s 438 yards, several other passing notables occurred in the 41-40 shootout with Ball State, including:

►Nebraska featured two 100-yard receivers in a game for the first time in school history. Tight end Sean Hill led the way with 129 yards, while receiver Maurice Purify added 122 yards on six receptions.

►Hill’s 129 receiving yards were the third-most ever by a Nebraska tight end and the most since 1991.

►I-back Marlon Lucky set a Nebraska running back record with 11 receptions for 81 yards. The 11 catches are the second-most in school history regardless of position. Lucky has a team-leading 24 receptions in four games and is well on his way to the Nebraska running back record of 43 receptions in a season, set by Cory Ross in 2005.========

NCAA-Record 286 Consecutive Home Sellouts

Nebraska boasts an incredible NCAA-record 286 consecutive sellouts at Memorial Stadium (including Iowa State). The sellout streak dates back to Hall of Fame Coach Bob Devaney's first year in 1962 (vs. Missouri on Nov. 3). Notre Dame is second in all-time consecutive sellouts with 193, 93 fewer than Nebraska. Entering Saturday’s game, the Huskers are 250-35 during the 285 sellouts. The mark includes a 39-23 record against ranked teams. Nebraska is 5-0 in the five milestone sellouts during that period (50th, 100th, 150th, 200th and 250th sellouts), including a 24-7 win over No. 2 Colorado on Oct. 29, 1994 (No. 200) and a 44-13 victory over Utah State on Sept. 7, 2002 (No. 250).

The fan support at Memorial Stadium has led to a dominant home advantage for the Huskers. NU has won at least six home games in 18 of the past 20 seasons and is 162-19 at home since 1981. Nine of the losses in the span have come against teams that finished in the top eight of the final AP poll. Nebraska's sellout streak will reach 289 by season's end.========

Peterson Receives Brook Berringer Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Nebraska junior wide receiver Todd Peterson was this year's recipient of the Brook Berringer Memorial Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship was endowed in the memory of former Nebraska quarterback Brook Berringer, who died in a plane crash on April 18, 1996. Peterson received the honor before the Ball State game.

Criteria for the Brook Berringer Memorial Scholarship includes the following: Must be a football student-athlete; must be involved in community service along with high ideals, excellent character and integrity.

A native of Grand Island, Peterson embodies the description of the Berringer Scholarship criteria. He has been a contributor to the Nebraska receiving corps since his freshman season in 2005 and has made 37 career receptions, including six touchdown grabs. Off the field, Peterson is heavily involved in community outreach. He was selected to the 2007 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team, which recognizes Husker football players who take a leading role in Nebraska's community outreach activities. Peterson is also a member of the Nebraska Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Peterson is majoring in nutrition, exercise and health science and carries a 3.726 cumulative grade-point average. He is a two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection.========

The Nebraska volleyball team closes the month on Saturday night, as it hosts the Baylor Bears. First serve between the Huskers (11-0, 4-0 Big 12) and Bears (8-7, 2-2 Big 12) is set for 7 p.m. from the NU Coliseum - the 97th consecutive volleyball sellout in the historic arena. Fans can listen to all of the action on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and on the Internet on Huskers.com. Saturday’s match will also be video-streamed on HuskersNside.

The Huskers continued their winning ways on Wednesday, sweeping Kansas on the road to remain among a handful of undefeated Division I programs. All-American Jordan Larson led the Huskers’ efforts against the Jayhawks, totaling match-highs in kills (17), digs (11) and aces (three), while hitting .389 on 36 swings. Larson, who is 10th in the Big 12 in both kills (3.85) and digs (3.50), recorded her team-best sixth double-double on Wednesday and now has 33 during her Husker career. Larson, who is fifth in the Big 12 in service aces, recorded her first multiple ace match in a month in style, ripping off three consecutive aces at one point in game three.

Baylor comes to Lincoln looking to snap a two-match losing streak after getting swept by Texas A&M on Wednesday night in Waco. The Bears, who feature three sophomores and a freshman in their starting lineup, have played better on the road, winning six of their eight matches away from home, while winning twice in seven tries at home. The Bears feature one of the Big 12’s best middle blockers in Anna Breyfogle, who leads the Big 12 with 1.63 blocks per game, while setter Taylor Barnes leads the conference with 0.54 aces per game.=======

NU Volleyball Quick Hits

•-If the Huskers can sweep Baylor on Saturday, NU can close the month without dropping a game. It would be the third time NU has gone an entire September without dropping a game with the others coming in 1995 (11-0) and 1976 (7-0).

•-The Huskers have held their last three foes to a combined .091 hitting, and now lead the Big 12 in opponent hitting percentage (.146).

•-The Huskers have swept their last 13 straight Big 12 foes at home dating back to 2005.

•-Baylor was one of only four Big 12 teams to take a game from the Huskers in 2006.

•-NU is 256-22 (.921) in September since 1983 and has won its last 37 matches in the month since the 2004 season.========

Lincoln-Fresh off two up-tempo games, the Huskers kick off their conference schedule at the Nebraska Soccer Field this weekend against two teams from the Panhandle state.

Nebraska's offense burst onto the scene in a big way last Friday as the Huskers defeated Saint Louis University. NU set several Nebraska Soccer Field records on the way to a 5-1 victory. The Huskers followed that with a spirited match against No. 12 Florida on Sunday. Nebraska had its chances as its offense showed marked improvement, but the game ended in a 1-1 tie.

The Huskers now turn their focus to Big 12 play as Oklahoma and No. 16 Oklahoma State visit the Nebraska Soccer Field this weekend. Nebraska opens conference play at home for just the fifth time in school history with a 4:30 p.m. showdown with the Sooners. The Huskers' offense looks to be coming around at the right time. Nebraska is perfect in conference openers, racking up an impressive 11-0 record and outscoring opponents 39-5.

Oklahoma State travels to Lincoln on Sunday to face the Huskers at 1 p.m. The game looks to be a battle of strengths as Oklahoma State's high-powered offense will square off with Nebraska's stout defense. The Cowgirls are off to a fast start, as they sit tied atop the Big 12 standings at 6-1-1 on the season, but the Huskers have had their number. Nebraska is 9-2-0 all-time against OSU.

The Huskers are 81-24-4 all-time in regular-season conference play.=======

Anne Marie Rye, is representing Nebraska and the Big XII in the sideline spirit contest.

Please cast your vote for Anne Marie Rye, a Junior who is representing Nebraska and the Big XII in the sideline spirit contest. She is competing against individuals from the other major conferences.

Lets show our support for a fellow Husker by casting votes for Anne Marie.

Here comes the crucible. After gathering his whole team Sunday to suffer through the game film of Southern California's 49-31 victory – and running that film personally – NU Coach Bill Callahan took an entirely new tone in Tuesday's press conference. It was a style he had not previously shown in the 2007 season. . . .

It's not easy to hear vulnerability. Especially from a football player. But as Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon spoke on Tuesday, he drew a clear, unsettling picture of the Blackshirts' collective psyche after two . . .

*Sixteen new cases of West Nile virus have been reported to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services since last week. That brings the total number of cases reported so far this year to 98. There have been three deaths. Four new counties were added to the list of counties reporting cases of West Nile

Friday, September 21, 2007

I really hate eating crow...and that one was a tough bird to swallow. If the USC O-Line does to others what it did to the Huskers, they are going to have a great season...yikes those backs had big holes to run through and nary a Husker Linebacker in sight. But enough about that...the Huskers gave it their best and we came up short...Not the Victory But the...well you know. So the best advice is to dust ourselves off and carry on with the rest of the season. Better things are yet to come!

This week's game against Ball State will be televised on Pay-Per-View (Fox Sports Network) at 9:30 a.m. PDT Saturday morning, and fans have a choice of either paying the $30 bucks to watch it at home, or donate to the cause at our watch sites when the hat (or pitcher) is passed around. The big three sites (Final-Final, Jack's and Legends) will pay to have the game at a cost of $400 bucks to each sports bar. So we will once again pass the hat to help them defray the cost of the broadcast. If each fan pays a measly 10 bucks we'll probably break even, so be generous please! Anything collected in excess of the cost will be donated to our chapter scholarship fund. Hope to see you there...so set the alarm, put on your Husker duds and enjoy a hearty breakfast at your fav watchsite with other fans while enjoying the game.

Check out the Husker Humor column at the end of the email for a couple of chuckles, the piece about David Letterman (Ball State grad), and check out the letter from the USC fan about his experience in Lincoln...won't make up for the loss, but it will do your heart good! There's also an update about happenings at the Alumni Association and news of the recent and hasty departure of Ed Paquette as the head of the Alumni Association.

I'll be away from my email for the next couple of weeks, so please check our website for game updates and news from the homeland while I'm out of touch. Brian has agreed to update the website www.BayAreaHuskers.org with a few articles and any TV broadcast announcements that come up for the Iowa State, Mizzou and Oklahoma State games. In addition, those who attend watch parties at Final-Final should receive info about televised games from Steve Curry.

I hope to be back and sending you a Bay Area Huskers E-News in time for the Texas A&M game.

Go Big Red (White and Blue),Carl

=========WATCH SITE UPDATE:

Jack's Brewing Company in Fremont has added a bunch of awesome HD flat screens and a very bright HD projector for their big screen to enhance your viewing pleasure. They also have a great breakfast menu for sports fans and open at 9 a.m. for weekend games.

From Steve Curry (Final-Final Watch Site Coordinator)...Thanks to all who responded to my email last week. Final Final WILL carry the FSN pay-per-view broadcast of the Husker vs Ball St. football game next week. It looks like it will be a 9:30 a.m. PDT start on Saturday, 22 Sept..

I would appreciate a couple volunteers to pass the hat during that game so we can help Arnie with the additional cost (several hundred dollars) for this ppv broadcast.

=========HUSKERS LOOK TO REBOUND AGAINST BALL STATE...

Head Coach Bill Callahan and the Huskers take on Ball State this Saturday at Memorial Stadium.Nebraska will complete the non-conference portion of its 2007 schedule this Saturday when the Huskers play host to the Ball State Cardinals in the 285th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 9:37 a.m. and the contest will be carried on a pay-per-view basis by FSN.

The Huskers enter the matchup with a 2-1 record, following a 49-31 loss to top-ranked USC last Saturday evening in Lincoln. Nebraska forged ahead 10-7 in the second quarter, but a powerful Trojan rushing attack proved to be too much to handle. The loss dropped Nebraska in this week’s national polls and the Huskers will enter Saturday’s game ranked 24th in the Associated Press poll and 22nd in the USA Today Coaches poll.

Nebraska’s matchup with Ball State is the first meeting between the schools and marks just the fourth game in school history against a current Mid-American Conference school, and the first since 1997. The Huskers posted a victory over Akron in 1997 and own victories over Northern Illinois in 1989 and 1990. A victory on Saturday would also allow Nebraska to finish non-conference play with one loss or less for the 26th consecutive season.

Ball State will come to Lincoln with a 2-1 record. The Cardinals dropped a one-point decision to Miami (Ohio) in their season opener, but have bounced back with two consecutive victories, including a 34-31 overtime victory at Navy on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals feature a high-powered offense, averaging nearly 450 yards per game.

A number of former Husker greats will also be on hand in Lincoln this weekend as part of the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame festivities. The newest members of the hall will be officially inducted at a Friday dinner and honored during pre-game ceremonies on Saturday.

=========HUSKERS FALL TO NO. 1 TROJANS...

Sam Keller passed for 389 yards, the highest total ever by a Husker against a ranked foe, in Nebraska's setback to No. 1 USC.

Lincoln - Cody Glenn scored on a pair of one-yard touchdown plunges and Todd Peterson hauled in a pair of touchdown passes, but No. 1 USC reeled off 35 straight points in the second and third quarters to claim a 49-31 victory over No. 14 Nebraska at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

Playing in front of an NCAA record 284th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium and an ABC prime-time national television audience, Nebraska fed off the energy of a revved up crowd of 84,959 to take a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter after Glenn's first quarter scoring plunge tied the score, and Henery put NU up 10-7 on a 37-yard field goal with 9:04 left in the first half.

After Nebraska took the lead, USC benefitted from a fortuitous bounce, when Rickey Thenarse stripped USC return man Vincent Joseph of the football in front of the USC sideline and the ball flew more than 10 yards toward the middle of the field. Trojan Malcolm Smith scooped up the ball and raced 31 yards down the Nebraska sideline before being upended at the NU 45.

Joseph, who was injured on the play, was carried off the field and taken by ambulance to a local hospital with a bruised larnyx. After the extended delay, USC appeared to use the time to regroup and attack the Huskers on both sides of the ball with greater energy.

Lincoln - The Nebraska-Ball State football game on Saturday, Sept. 22 will be telecast via pay-per-view on participating cable systems and nationwide to satellite dish customers. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:37 a.m. PDT from Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

Information about how to purchase the telecast, including a list of participating cable systems and satellite providers, is attached. It will be updated frequently in the days leading up to the game. Details will be posted on Huskers.com and FoxSports.com, search: Midwest as they become available.

The game is being televised on pay-per-view because it was not selected for over-the-air broadcast or cable television coverage. Participating cable and satellite providers will offer the telecast to their customers on a specially designated pay-per-view channel. The telecast will not pre-empt FSN’s regularly scheduled programming.

=========NEBRASKA, CYCLONES GAME SET FOR 11:30 PDT (No TV Coverage)...

Since there aren't any radio broadcasts out here anymore, Bay Area fans will have to "tune in" to http://www.huskers.com/ to listen to the game on their computers.

Nebraska has announced that the Huskers’ Sept. 29 Big 12 Conference opener against Iowa State will kick off at 11:05 a.m. PDT. No television coverage is planned for the game.

The Nebraska-Iowa State game will air on the Husker Sports Radio Network, and its more than 50 affiliate stations nationwide. The Husker Sports Network call by the broadcast team of Jim Rose, Adrian Fiala and Matt Davison can also be heard around the world on Huskers.com and on Sirius Satellite Radio (check listing for channel). The Husker Sports Network will begin its pre-game show for the Nebraska-ISU game at 6 a.m. PDT, including a live broadcast from the Husker Nation Pavilion beginning at 8 a.m.

Game times and television coverage for Nebraska’s remaining games will be announced six to 12 days in advance.

Nebraska’s matchup with Ball State on Saturday is set for an 9:37 a.m. PDT kickoff, with the game being televised on a pay-per-view basis by FSN. Suggested retail price for the game is $29.95 and full ordering instructions are available on Huskers.com.

=========LETTER FROM A USC FAN ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN LINCOLN (Thanks to Shari Emling for sharing)...

This was posted on the Huskers Illustrated board by a LA resident who attended the game in Lincoln on Saturday. Pretty neat.

How--and why--I became a Big Red fan (from an SC guy)

I arrived in Omaha in the dark Friday. An early fall chill was accompanied by the sweet smell of crops in the air which was exciting just because it was so different than Los Angeles.

When I woke up Saturday morning I was bummed because I wanted one of those crystal-clear, bright blue never-ending sky days on the plains I had read about or seen on TV. Alas. We had breakfast at the Denny's off of exit 84 between Omaha and Lincoln. Then the beauty began. The countryside was just so beautiful. The rows and rows of tassled corn, the old barns off in the distance, passing over various creeks and rivers--I got goose bumps. Our hotel was waaaaaaay out of the way: America's Best Value Inn out at NW 12 st and Adams. We walked all the way into town--it was the best. Breezes rustling in trees, that sweet smell of the earth...

So we make it to the parking lot of the baseball stadium at the Haymarket when some Huskers fans collar us and invite us in to their tailgate. Soon we're helping them with the keg-emptying process and having great conversation. Turns out, we all had lots in common, starting with a shared love for the game of college football (and sports in general). Mike, Ross, Chad and the gang were awesome! So then, they insisted on taking us to "Rock the Dock" (something like that). Anyway, it's the place right outside Embassy Suites--what a great place. Cool live music, and the biggest six dollar beer I've ever had in my life. We were swallowed in a Sea of Red but everyone was very cool--just wanted to have fun.

We left there and headed up O Street to The Watering Hole. A great place! Great pub grub and people bought us beer, including our new friends. So we chat about all sorts of interesting stuff with cool people in there. I got to know our new friends more. Farm life in Lawrence, NE. Wow! It truly is so different from life in suburban Los Angeles. But I couldn't admire it more. I think people forget just how tough--yet necessary--agriculture is to the existence of us all. I could see in the eyes of these young guys a genuine honesty that was very refreshing. We talked about the gamble that is farming. Yet I knew they wouldn't trade it for the world. The lifestyle, the people, the land. Which makes rooting for Big Red a very noble thing. Go Big Red is go big sky, go big land, go necessary rain, go sweet smelling earth, go John Deere, go flooded summer creeks, go people that have been there my whole life and always will be, go pork bellies, go old fashioned sensibilities, go things not changing too much, go quiet Sundays when you get to relax, go the feeling you worked hard outside all day and you fall into bed dead tired but wouldn't change it for the world, go being away from all the rush, go Runzas, go Saturdays out at the lake...

Our new friends made sure we got over to gate 2 on time. Everyone was really amped up by this time and there is much hooting and hollaring (as there should be). So, I ask "Where are y'all sitting?" They all replied matter-of-factly: "Oh, we don't have tickets. we just wanted to make sure you guys got here on time." Damn! Now that's what it's all about.

The stadium was, of course electric. My favorite memory of the game (yeah, I loved the score, but what I'll always remember) is at the end of half-time I was walking back up the ramp to my seat. I was able to look out past the campus, past the black line of trees to a sun that peeked through, bleeding Red into the land because it--like me--was tied to the land and the people that make it so great.

Gooooooo Biiiiiiiig Reeeeeeeeed! GO BIG RED! Fight On. Beat the hell out of everyone and know that y'all made a Husker out of me this weekend.

Junior punter Dan Titchener was among 41 punters nation-wide selected for the Ray Guy Award Watch List by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. The Ray Guy Award is given each year to college football’s top punter and is determined by a national selection committee made up of sports writers, college football coaches, sports information directors, past Ray Guy Award winners and members designated by the Greater Augusta Sports Council.

Joining Titchener on the list are four 2006 top-10 Ray Guy finalists, including one top-three finisher in Georgia Tech’s Durante Brooks. Titchener was nominated for the award based on his outstanding performance on the field last season, as well as his consistent excellence in the classroom and in the community.

Titchener launched 66 punts for a total of 2,592 yards in 2006, an average of nearly 40 yards per punt. In the classroom, he is a six-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and a 2006 first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection, while also giving to the community as a volunteer for Dads of Kids with Disabilities, Village Manor Retirement Center, while earning recognition as a two-time member of the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team.

The Ray Guy Award watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi finalists, to be announced in early November. The national voting body will then vote for the top three finalists who will be announced at the end of November. The award will be presented live on ESPN December 6, 2007, during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show.

Nebraska has yet to win a Ray Guy Award since its inception in 2000, but did have a finalist in Kyle Larson in 2003.

=========NEBRASKA TO HONOR HALL OF FAME'S NEWEST MEMBERS THIS WEEKEND...

All-American Jason Peter is a headliner in the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Class of 2007.

Peter helped the Huskers to national championships in 1994, 1995 and 1997.

Lincoln - The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame will induct its newest class this weekend during festivities around the Huskers' game with Ball State on Saturday.

The class, which includes seven former Huskers and three members of the state college ranks, will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday evening at a banquet in their honor at Memorial Stadium. The Hall of Fame Class of 2007 will be introduced to the Memorial Stadium crowd on Saturday during the Ball State game, which kicks off at 9:30 a.m. (PDT)

In addition to the former greats in the 2007 induction class, 11-time NFL All-Pro offensive lineman and 1992 Nebraska Outland Trophy winner Will Shields will be officially honored by the Hall of Fame. Shields was automatically inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993, but because of his professional commitments he has not been able to attend any of the Hall of Fame banquets since his graduation from Nebraska.

Along with the players, former Husker assistant coach George Darlington will be on hand to receive the Lyell Bremser Special Merit Award, while long-time supporter of Nebraska Athletics Joe Silverman will be honored with the Clarence E. Swanson Meritorious Service Award.

Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American fullback Dane Todd will receive one of two Nebraska Chapter Postgraduate Scholarships, along with current Dana College senior linebacker Greg Wilmes.=========

RANDY YORK'S N-SIDER...

David Letterman Should Come to Lincoln Saturday

Ball State isn't exactly a household name among college football fans, but I bet most of you know its most famous alum. He's a television producer, a philanthropist and an IRL IndyCar Series car owner.

If you're still scratching your head, here are two more clues, which should be dead giveaways. Ball State's most famous alum is an award-winning American comedian and late-night talk show host.

Still don't know who he is? David Letterman is your man, and I see no reason why he can't do his Late Show on CBS on Friday night in New York, then hop on a plane for the Nebraska-Ball State football game that begins at 11:30 Saturday morning in Lincoln. Being the world-wide entertainment force he is, Letterman should be able to have his tan pants seated among the Sea of Red at Memorial Stadium for lunch and be back home in Indiana, or New York City, by supper.

If Will Ferrell, Keanu Reeves, Judge Clarence Thomas and Rush Limbaugh can come to Lincoln one weekend, why can't America's most beloved gap-toothed talk-show host stop in for a Runza, a slice of Valentino's pizza or even a Fairbury Brand hot dog while watching his favorite team take on the Big Red?

Doesn't he owe it to his alma mater? I mean if Stephen King can follow Maine to Lincoln in 2005, David Letterman can follow Ball State to Memorial Stadium this weekend.

Last Friday, when Letterman visited Ball State to dedicate its new $21 million communication and media building, 3,000-plus people showed up. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels bestowed the state's highest civilian honor on Letterman, but Daniels didn't show up to present the award. Letterman got the last laugh on that one.

In the spirit of giving Letterman plenty of reasons to come to Lincoln, I asked a a couple of Late Show fans in the Nebraska Media Relations Office, Jeff Griesch and Shamus McKnight, to throw together their Top 10 Reasons Why Letterman Should Come to Lincoln. They even let me get involved. We thought the result was good enough to submit to the Late Show with David Letterman web site and its Wahoo Gazette editor, Michael McIntee. The idea is to spur the folks at the home office in Wahoo, Nebraska, to encourage Letterman our way.

Just as Kopetka clicked the link, her 12-year-old daughter, Cami, came over to check it out.

Onto the screen popped Cook, a college football historian and still an ESPN commentator.

Cook talked about the death of sportsmanship in America and then laid out his evidence. After that, he gave two examples where sportsmanship is still alive and well . . . in the Little League World Series and at Nebraska, where sellout crowds still have the class to applaud the efforts of both teams, win or lose.

When Cook finished his commentary, Cami Kopetka looked at her mother and said simply: “Mom, I’m proud to be a Nebraskan, aren’t you?”

Her mother said, "I wish I had a video of Cami when she asked that question. You should have seen her eyes and heard her voice. She was so proud and so sincere."

Cami might as well have been asking her question to the whole state and all of those who live elsewhere, but still consider Nebraska roots to be at the core of their character.

“The two best things to ever come out of Nebraska are Johnny Carson and sportsmanship,” Cook told Steve Pederson last night when Nebraska’s athletic director called to thank him for the sportsmanship plug. Cook said he put the USC at Nebraska game in this week’s commentary because “Nebraska sets the standard for how fans should act” and the rest of the world needs to know that.=========

NO. 1 HUSKERS TAKE ON TEXAS A&M ON SATURDAY...

Following a pair of sweeps last week, the top-ranked Husker volleyball team is off until this Saturday, when it takes on Texas A&M at the Nebraska Coliseum. First serve between the Huskers (9-0, 2-0 Big 12) and Aggies (11-2, 1-2) is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried across the state on the Husker Sports Network. Saturday’s match will also be televised across Nebraska on NET (Ch. 12) and NET-HD (Ch. 112). The volleyball match caps a day-night doubleheader for Husker sports, as the Nebraska football team will take on Ball State at 11:30 a.m.

One of the strengths of Nebraska’s attack through the first third of the season has been the play of middle blockers Tracy Stalls and Kori Cooper, who rank among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage and combine to average over 5.00 kills per game. Stalls, who ranked among the national leaders last season at .400, is hitting an eye-popping .508 on the season, while Cooper is hitting .402 and averaging nearly a kill per game more than a year ago. Last week, the pair hit .583 and averaged 6.16 kills per game in sweeps of seventh-ranked Texas and Texas Tech.===

START TIME ANNOUNCED FOR NU-BAYLOR GAME ON 29TH...

Nebraska’s start time for its volleyball match against Baylor on Saturday, Sept. 29, has been set for a 7 p.m. at the Nebraska Coliseum.

The match was originally listed as TBA on the volleyball schedule pending the start time of the Nebraska-Iowa State football game that same day. Kickoff for the NU-ISU football game was announced earlier Wednesday with a 1:05 p.m. kickoff.

The volleyball match between the Huskers and Bears will be carried across the state on the Husker Sports Network, with a live video feed being provided on HuskersNside. The match on Sept. 29 will not be televised.=====

HUSKERS ROLL TO SWEEP AT TEXAS TECH...

Lubbock, Texas — While the location was different, the result was the same as the No. 1 ranked Nebraska volleyball team improved to 9-0 on the season with a 30-19, 30-15, 30-20 victory over Texas Tech Saturday night.

The Huskers, making their first road trip of the season, used a strong performance from middle blockers Tracy Stalls and Kori Cooper, who combined for 21 kills on .588 hitting in propelling Nebraska to its seventh consecutive sweep.

Cooper, who lives less than two hours from the United Spirit Arena, received a boisterous applause when introduced before recording a season-best 11 kills on .579 hitting and five blocks. It marked the first time the sophomore has led the Huskers in kills. Stalls totaled 10 kills on 15 swings and matched Cooper for team-high honors with five stuffs, keying a defensive performance that held Texas Tech to .075 hitting.

"Anytime your middles lead the team in kills, it means they and the setters are playing at a high level and connecting," Nebraska Coach John Cook said. "That was one of the points we wanted to emphasize tonight, to take advantage of their middle blockers."

Behind the duo, Nebraska hit .342 as a team and matched season bests in both blocks (11) and service aces, as both Rachel Schwartz and Sarah Pavan tied career bests. Schwartz, who did not record an ace in NU’s first eight matches, finished with three aces and 10 digs, while Pavan matched her NU best with four aces and added eight kills and four blocks in a match that took just 80 minutes.

"We wanted to go on the road and serve tough, and that was the other thing we wanted to do tonight," Cook said. "It put a lot of stress on (them), and we did a good job of slowing down their attack with our serve. Once we did that, it dictated the match in our favor.=========

NEBRASKA SOCCER ENTERTAINS TOURNEY-TESTED TEAMS...

Colleen Goetzmann will help the Huskers face Saint Louis and Florida this weekend.

Lincoln - The Huskers return to the friendly confines of the Nebraska Soccer field this weekend, after a busy early-season schedule and a long trip out west left them with a 2-2-2 record.

Nebraska entered last weekend's USC Tournament unbeaten, but squaring off against two Southeastern Conference opponents, the Huskers came up empty handed. NU lost to No. 13 Tennessee 2-0 on Friday and 2-1 to Georgia on Sunday. Nebraska invites two more respectable foes to the Nebraska Soccer Field this weekend as it faces the Saint Louis Billikens on Friday at 5 p.m. and the Florida Gators on Sunday at 1 p.m.

After offensive struggles over the past several games, Brittany Goosen found the back of the net for the Huskers against Georgia. The freshman defender launched a free kick from near midfield that bounced over the head of Bulldog goalkeeper Michelle Betos. The goal broke a 245-minute scoreless streak for the Huskers.

=========

LIL' RED EARNS OFFICIAL INVITE TO MASCOT HALL OF FAME...

Lil' Red was officially invited for induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Lincoln - Nebraska's beloved inflatable ambassador of cheer, Lil' Red, earned its official invitation for induction into The Mascot Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 15. Lil' Red, who was making a live appearance on ESPN's GameDay Built by Home Depot in front of thousands of fans at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, was one of three collegiate mascots named to the Hall's third class.

Husker fans played a major role in Lil' Red's induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame. The Husker Nation united to cast more than 120,000 votes for Lil' Red in a two-week period that ended on Sept. 6. Lil' Red edged Ohio State's Brutus Buckeye in the final tally, as both Lil' Red and Brutus finish with nearly three times the votes of the next closest mascot, Western Kentucky's Big Red.

All three of the famed collegiate mascots earned induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame. The three collegiate mascots will be joined in the class by the San Antonio Spurs Coyote and Mr. Met from the professional ranks. Officially, all five characters earn the coveted "Golden Silly String Award."

The 2007 class will join the Phillie Phanatic, the Phoenix Suns Gorilla, and Famous Chicken who were inducted in 2005 along with last year’s class made up of Clutch the Bear, KC Wolf, The Jazz Bear, YoUDee, Aubie, and Bucky Badger.=========

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEAVING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FOR UNKNOWN REASONS...

Chris RosakerDaily Nebraskan

Ed Paquette has worked for Nebraska Alumni Association for 10 years. Friday was his last day, and the departure may indicate internal turmoil at the association.

"All I can tell you is Ed is taking a leave of absence," said Shelly Zaborowski, senior associate executive director of the Alumni Association.

But the question no one knows the answer to or will comment on is why Paquette has to go.

Zaborowski declined to comment on the reason.

Efforts to contact the board of directors of the Alumni Association were unsuccessful. Many would not take calls, others would not return them, and Jeannine Falter, second vice president on the board, hung up after answering a call.

Attempts to reach Paquette himself were also met with no success. However, his wife, Marti, the travel coordinator for the Alumni Association, was reached by telephone Sunday afternoon.

"Hopefully at some point we will be able to discuss this with the public," said Marti Paquette, "but right now our lawyer has advised us to not say anything for both the benefit of the Alumni Association and (the Paquettes') future.

"The Nebraska Alumni Association has chapters in all 50 states. One of the chapter leaders who claimed to be close to Paquette brought the situation to the attention of the Daily Nebraskan but requested to stay anonymous for fear of repercussion from superiors.

The chapter leader said the way in which the board of directors went about the whole process of informing Paquette was "really, really shady.

"According to the source, Paquette's contract entailed a three-week notice on termination, but the board only gave him three days.

"It's not very professional," the source said.

First Paquette was asked to take sick leave, but he refused, the source said, so he was told to take administrative leave and get a lawyer.

The Missouri tour is sold out, but there are still a few seats on the Nebraska Alumni Association motorcoach tours to the Texas and Kansas football games this fall, in conjunction with Allied Tour & Travel. Sign up today for the Oct. 26-29 trip to Austin, Texas, with overnight stays in Dallas and Oklahoma City; and the one-day trip to Lawrence, Kan., on Nov. 3. To register, or for additional details, click here.

Forever Huskers Weekend SetThe class of 1957 will be honored and members of the Nebraska Alumni Association from the classes up to and including 1967 have been invited to Forever Huskers Weekend, Oct. 11-13. Weekend activities include a cocktail reception, a university lunch, tours of City and East campuses with a stop at the UNL Dairy Store, NAA’s Come on home Celebration, a pre-game Husker Huddle and the NU-Oklahoma State football game. For more information or to register, click here.

Drop By the Alumni SidelinesYou are invited to drop by the Wick Alumni Center before each home football game this fall for “Alumni Sidelines.” We’ll have some light refreshments, a limited number of game-day programs, other games and pre-game coverage on our big screen, and a chance to cool off or warm up as the case may be. Alumni Sidelines will begin three hours prior to kickoff and conclude one hour prior. Our only 2007 Home Husker Huddle will take place at the Wick Alumni Center on Saturday, Oct. 13 before the NU vs. Oklahoma State homecoming game.

Come On HomeThe Nebraska Alumni Association’s 15th annual Come On Home homecoming celebration is slated for Friday, Oct 12, at the Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St. On tap for the evening are free food from Pepsi and Valentino’s at 4:30 p.m., the homecoming parade at 6 p.m., and introduction of the homecoming royalty and a Scarlet and Cream Singers performance following the parade.

Association Staff Volunteers in the CommunityBecause volunteerism is the soul of the alumni association, we put our words into action. Alumni staff members also volunteer and are active in a wide range of community activities. Shelley Zaborowski, senior associate executive director of the alumni association, is a TeamMates mentor and a blood donor. She helps Brooklyn, a six grader at a local middle school, with her math studies as part of the TeamMates program started by Tom Osborne. And, as a member of the two-gallon club, she finds donating blood an easy way to make huge impact on the community.

Limited Edition Husker Watch Available at BorsheimsOne of the University of Nebraska's most distinguished alumni is also a big fan of Husker Athletics! And since Warren Buffett owns the legendary jewelry store Borsheims, he has #1 of 500 limited edition Husker watches produced by luxury Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil. (Coach Callahan and Steve Pederson have #2 and #3, respectively). This exclusive and officially licensed watch is available for purchase now - but you'll have to act fast if you want to get your hands on one. Buy directly from borsheims.com, or visit Borsheims in Omaha, located in Regency Court.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Whew! Too close for comfort but a "W" is a "W" for the books (and ratings). Lots of stuff below about the big game this weekend against USC.

All of our watch sites will be ready for the onslaught of Husker fans, so get there early, grab a seat and order some dinner because this one is going to be exciting. Jack's in Fremont will once again be putting on a Prime Rib for the gathered beefeaters in the group. They typically get around 20 servings out of a full rib rack, so first come first served.

Kickoff is a little after 5 p.m. Pacific Time and the game will be on ABC. In addition to the game, ESPN is bringing their GAMEDAY team to Lincoln and will set up for their early broadcast at 7 a.m. Pacific Time.

So set the alarm and watch their crazy football hype-team talk about the day's events live from Memorial Stadium, with a bunch of screaming Husker fans in the background. It will be interesting to see which team's headgear Corso pulls out to predict the winner.

There's a great Nebraska trivia piece at the end and a couple of great articles about the Huskers from ESPN and the L.A. Times for a different perspective below.

Enjoy and cheer on the Huskers...BEAT SC!

Go Big Red (White and Blue)!Carl

==========ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAYLIVE FROM MEMORIAL STADIUM...

Nebraska set an ESPN College GameDay record with more than 15,000 fans in attendance before the 2001 Notre Dame game.

Nebraska fans are encouraged to turn out in large numbers, wear red and be part of ESPN’s College GameDay Built by the Home Depot on Saturday morning at Memorial Stadium.

The production trucks for Saturday’s show are already in place, and part of College GameDay’s advance crew arrived in Lincoln on Wednesday. The show will air on Saturday from 9-11 a.m.

Seating for the show will be in the West Stadium, with gates opening at 7:30 a.m. The first live shots from Lincoln will be during the 8 a.m. SportsCenter.

Fans who plan to attend the show can enter Memorial Stadium through Gates 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 on the west side of the stadium. Lots around Memorial Stadium will be reserved for those with game parking passes, so fans attending only the ESPN College GameDay should plan on using downtown parking and other lots that do not require permits on game days.

Soda and water will be available for purchase during the show. Fans will be asked to clear the stands at the conclusion of the show at 11 a.m.

College GameDay last appeared at Memorial Stadium during the 2001 season. A College GameDay record of more than 15,000 fans attended the show before the Notre Dame game on Sept. 8. The show was televised before a packed stadium just prior to the Huskers’ 2001 victory over Oklahoma.

==========HUSKERS SET TO HOST TOP-RANKED TROJANS...

The eyes of the college football world will be squarely on Lincoln this weekend as Nebraska plays host to No. 1 USC at Memorial Stadium. The game will be carried nationally as part of ESPN on ABC’s Saturday Night Football package. Kickoff is set for 5:13 p.m. PDT.

In addition to the national telecast of Saturday night’s non-conference showdown, ESPN’s College GameDay will air from Memorial Stadium from 9 to 11 a.m. (Central) on Saturday. It will mark the first time College GameDay has originated from Lincoln, since visiting Memorial Stadium twice in 2001.

The Huskers will enter the matchup with a 2-0 record following Saturday’s hard-fought 20-17 victory on the road at Wake Forest. A week after using a punishing ground game to roll past Nevada, the Huskers showed firepower through the air, passing for 258 yards against the defending ACC champions, while the Blackshirt defense came up with key plays at several crucial points late in the game.

The victory gave Nebraska a 2-0 start for the third consecutive season and moved NU up to 14th in this week’s national polls. The No. 14 ranking is Nebraska’s highest since reaching No. 12 in the AP poll midway through the 2003 season.

Southern California was a near-unanimous preseason No. 1 choice in the national polls and maintains that ranking heading into Lincoln. The Trojans defeated Idaho, 38-10, on Sept. 1 in Los Angeles and were idle last weekend. The visit by No. 1 USC marks the first time a top-ranked team has traveled to Memorial Stadium since No. 4 Nebraska upended No. 1 Oklahoma, 17-14 in 1978. This will be the fourth time a top-ranked opponent has played the Huskers at Memorial Stadium (also Oklahoma in 1974 and 1955). Nebraska last faced a top-ranked opponent at any site in the 2002 Rose Bowl, when it was defeated by No. 1 Miami.

The meeting will mark the fourth all-time matchup between the two programs. USC’s 28-10 win last season at the Los Angeles Coliseum gave the Trojans a 2-0-1 advantage in the series. In the only meeting in Lincoln, USC defeated Nebraska, 31-21, to open the 1969 season.

Winston-Salem, N.C. - The Nebraska Blackshirts made huge defensive plays late in the game to preserve an exciting 20-17 road victory by the No. 16 Huskers over defending ACC champion Wake Forest on Saturday at Groves Stadium. The rugged defensive effort helped NU improve to 2-0 on the season, while Wake Forest slipped to 0-2.

Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan said he was not surprised by the close contest, and actually anticipated the defensive struggle.

"This was a BCS championship football team with a lot of pride, and they have always had a good defensive football team," Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan said after the game. "We are pleased to come out of this game with a win. Our fans were tremendous. We had more than 10,000 fans in this stadium, about a third of this stadium and they were a factor in the game today."

After surrendering a quick touchdown to give Wake Forest a 17-13 lead less than five minutes into the second half, the Blackshirts slammed the door on the Demon Deacons the rest of the way to seal the victory in front of a sellout crowd of more than 32,000, which included between 10,000 and 15,000 Husker fans, in Winston-Salem.

No defensive play was bigger than a late fourth-quarter stop with just over six minutes to go when senior captain Zackary Bowman leaped to pickoff a Brett Hodges third-down pass in the end zone to stop the potential go-ahead touchdown by the Demon Deacons. Bowman's interception allowed the Huskers to dodge a big bullet that followed an interception by Wake Forest that gave the Demon Deacons a first-and-goal at NU's 10.

Bowman's interception seemed to spark the Nebraska offense, as the Huskers took control and marched NU to the Wake Forest 35.

The Demon Deacon defense held on fourth down with 1:45 left to give Wake Forest one final chance. Walk-on defensive back Ben Eisenhart from Culbertson, Neb., appeared to make the Blackshirts' final big play by intercepting a pass that was tipped by Omaha native Cortney Grixby, but the call on the field was reversed by replay officials to give Wake Forest one final chance on fourth-and-10.

Called on for one final time, the Blackshirts stepped up again by forcing an incompletion with just over one minute left to give the ball back to the Husker offense to run out the clock.

"When you are in these types of games where you are the road and the pendulum swings back and forth, the important thing is how you adjust and how you respond as a football team," Callahan said. "I was really proud of how our team responded to get the win today."

So it’s USC week. Bill Callahan and his staff are camped out in their offices in Lincoln, and Pete Carroll and his staff are hunkered down in LA. The lights are out, the film is on and the little red laser is pointing all over the place trying to detect one team’s advantage over the other team’s weakness.

Callahan and Carroll “may not sleep at all this week because they’ll be trying so hard to out-scheme each other,” Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson laughingly told USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett Monday night on Pederson’s radio program.

Garrett, USC’s first-ever Heisman Trophy winner, said he’s seen Nebraska on TV forever, but never been to Lincoln. “We all finally get to go there and see for ourselves that sea of red,” Garrett said on Sports Nightly. “We’re excited about going back to where Johnny Rodgers played. There can’t be better football fans anywhere in the country.”

Aha, finally, we see a role Nebraska fans can play in this first No. 1 team to visit Memorial Stadium in 29 years. For those 81,000 Husker fans lucky enough to get a ticket into this nationally-televised showdown, there is something you can do – take the noise level to an unprecedented level.

“I know this. They (the Trojans) are going to come in, and they are going to try and audible and check. They do a lot of things at the line of scrimmage, so our fans, our fan base, our stadium . . . it has to be revved up ” Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan said Sunday on his weekly TV show.

“It’s got to be amped up like it never has before to really try and diffuse those checks at the line of scrimmage,” Callahan said. “So, the louder, the better. And hopefully, this will be the loudest stadium ever in the history of Nebraska.”

Tuesday, when someone asked how important crowd noise would be against USC, Callahan didn’t hesitate to seize another opportunity to drive home the same message at his weekly press conference.

What's the loudest game you can remember at Memorial Stadium? Here is just a sampling from Huskers.com staff.

Respond to Randy with comments on these games or others that you think would qualify as loud.

“It’s a huge, huge, huge difference,” he said. “I hope our fans out there are listening because I don’t think I have to encourage them to be loud. These are the best fans in football in my eyes. I’m anticipating a loud venue on Saturday night.”

USC Coach Pete Carroll is anticipating the same thing. “I’m sure Nebraska will give us everything we can handle,” Carroll said Tuesday at his press conference. “They’re a fantastic crowd. They get all ramped up. It’s a great atmosphere. That’s what the home field is all about. The crowd is going to do everything it can to make it difficult for us. It’s tremendous opposition, I’m sure. As a team, we have to play over and above all those factors.”

Carroll and Callahan, two former NFL head coaches, love the college crowds and relish how much they can influence the outcome of a game.

For Nebraska football, there seems to be a statistic for just about everything except crowd noise. For that, your opinions are the only stats that count. So, here’s the question: From personal experience, what is the loudest game you can remember watching at Memorial Stadium?==========

The Husker coaching staff expects third down will be vital against the Trojans.

“We’re challenged by third downs,” Head Coach Bill Callahan said. “In last year’s game we didn’t do well with third downs. That’s a key area. It’s going to be one of the deciding factors in this game.”

In Southern California’s 28-10 win over Nebraska on Sept. 16, 2006, the Trojans were successful on 9-of-15 third-down situations, while the Huskers were 5-of-14. In 2007, Nebraska has converted 33 percent (10-for-30) of its third downs, while USC was 8-for-17 (47 percent) in its opener against Idaho.

“They’ve got a great third-down pass defense and a great third down pass and rush offense,” Callahan added. “It’s going to be necessary and crucial (for us). It’s one of those situations where it will come down to that area in a lot of ways.”

Off the field, Callahan reiterated the impact a sellout Memorial Stadium could have on the game when college football’s No. 1 ranked team comes to Lincoln for the first time since 1978. The last two match-ups between Nebraska and USC have taken place in Los Angeles, including last year’s game.

“I think any time you’re in your home venue, there is a little more comfort,” he said. “We have great fans and this is a great place to play. I know our team’s excited.

“(But) USC has been in big games too. They’ve been on the road and played a lot of great teams and done well. It’s going to be interesting. We’ll just have to see how it all turns out.”

Prior to Wednesday’s practice, the production trucks for ESPN’s College GameDay arrived in Lincoln. The show will air on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. (Central) on the west side of Memorial Stadium.

==========

L.A. TIMES ARTICLE ABOUT KELLER'S PATH TO NEBRASKA AND A SECOND CHANCE AT USC...

Square peg Keller comes full circle

Quarterback found he didn't fit in at Arizona State, where he was a rising star before a USC comeback and an injury derailed him. Now at Nebraska, he's about to get another shot at No. 1 Trojans.

By Chris DufresneLos Angeles Times Staff WriterSeptember 11 2007

LINCOLN, Neb. -- "Destiny is not a matter of chance," the quotation reads above the entrance to the Osborne Athletic Complex. "It is a matter of choice."

Sarah Pavan had 16 kills to lead the Huskers to a sweep of No. 7 Texas at the NU Coliseum on Wednesday.

Lincoln – Behind 16 kills from AVCA National Player of the Year Sarah Pavan, top-ranked Nebraska opened Big 12 action with a 3-0 sweep over No. 7 Texas, winning 30-24, 30-17, 30-25 in front of a national television audience Wednesday evening.

Pavan hit a blistering .520 on 25 swings and keyed a Husker attack that hit .400 against the Longhorns, the second straight match that Nebraska (8-0, 1-0 Big 12) eclipsed the .400 mark as a team. It was the highest NU hit against a top-10 foe since hitting .400 against fifth-ranked Hawaii in 2001.

The senior, who also chipped in five digs and two blocks, moved in sole possession of second place on NU’s career kills list, moving past three-time All-American Lisa Reitsma. Pavan now has 1,637 career kills and is within striking distance of Allison Weston's career record.

While Pavan was the only Husker to reach double figures, Nebraska enjoyed superb offensive balance against Texas in posting its 60th consecutive home win. All-American setter Rachel Holloway guided an attack that hit .300 in all three games and featured all six starters with at least six kills. The sophomore from Franklin, Tenn., had six kills on nine swings and added six digs in one of her best all-around performances of the year.====

HOUGHTELLING LEADS HUSKERS TO AMERITAS TITLE...

Lincoln – Behind a season-high 15 kills from tournament MVP Christina Houghtelling, the top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team improved to 7-0 on the season with a 30-17, 30-25, 30-22 sweep of New Mexico State Saturday night at the Nebraska Coliseum.

Houghtelling, who missed all of the 2006 season after shoulder surgery, was dominant against the Aggies, hitting .519 on 27 swings and adding three blocks and nine digs. For the weekend, she averaged 4.17 kills per game on .535 hitting and 3.00 digs per game, as the Huskers collected their third tournament title in as many weeks heading into Wednesday’s Big 12 opener.

Houghtelling was joined by teammates Tracy Stalls and Rachel Holloway on the seven-member all-tournament squad.

Stalls finished with nine kills and set season bests in both hitting percentage (.692) and blocks (five) while hitting .654 in two matches this weekend. Holloway guided the Huskers to a season-high .409 hitting against the Aggies, while recording season bests in both kills (six) and blocks (four) and added eight digs.

Nebraska Head Coach John Cook was pleased with how the Huskers responded after the first match between Duke and Louisville pushed the start time back an hour. In that match, Louisville rallied from a 0-2 deficit and three match points to stun the No. 11 Blue Devils in five games.====

NEBRASKA SWEEPS NO. 11 DUKE...

Lincoln – Behind a double-double from All-American Jordan Larson, No. 1 Nebraska improved to 6-0 on the season with a 3-0 sweep of No. 11 Duke Friday night in the first round of the Ameritas Players Challenge.

Larson, who picked up her 30th career double-double, led the Huskers with 16 kills and 14 digs, helping the Huskers to their fifth sweep of the year. It was Larson’s fourth double-double in the Huskers’ last five contests, all of which have come against ranked foes.

Larson was one of three Huskers to finish in double figures, as All-Americans Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling chipped in 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Houghtelling, who is averaging 3.36 kills per game on .349 hitting over her last four matches, fell one dig shy of a double-double, totaling 10 kills on .562 hitting and nine digs along with a pair of aces.

"I feel a lot more confident," Houghtelling said of her performances in recent weeks. "It was just different coming back. It’s something you really can’t explain in words. In that game situation, I was a little hesitant because I hadn’t been in that game situation for a while. Things are fine now."

With her 12 kills on Friday, Pavan moved past three-time All-American Nancy Metcalf for sole possession of third place on NU’s career kills list with 1,608, bettering Metcalf’s total of 1,603 from 1997 to 2001.

The Huskers hit .336 as a team against Duke, as Houghtelling and Tracy Stalls (nine kills on .615 hitting) combined for most of the damage against a Blue Devil squad that had lost just one – a five-game setback at fourth-ranked USC – in their first six matches.

With Friday’s win, the Huskers will meet New Mexico State, a 3-2 winner over Louisville earlier Friday, in the championship match Saturday at 7 p.m. Nebraska will look for its 59th consecutive home win and move past Florida for sole possession of fourth place on the NCAA all-time consecutive home wins list.==========

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES TELEVISION SCHEDULE (all time Central)...

Lincoln – Fans who are unable to see the top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team in person will have ample opportunities to watch the Huskers during the 2007 season.

The Nebraska Athletic Department announced its volleyball television schedule on Thursday and it includes seven home matches shown statewide on Nebraska Educational Television. It also features an appearance on FSN at Texas on Oct. 24 as part of the Big 12 Conference television package.

Five of the NET matches will be simulcast on College Sports Television (CSTV), as part of the AVCA’s Match of the Week series. Nebraska already has made two appearances on NET and CSTV as part of the AVCA’s College Volleyball Showcase in Omaha last month.

The seven-match NET broadcast schedule begins on Wednesday, Sept. 12, as the Huskers take on seventh-ranked Texas in the Big 12 opener for both teams. The NET broadcast team of Larry Punteney and Kathi Wieskamp will bring fans all of the action. All of the NET volleyball telecasts will be shown in high definition across the state on NET-HD.

The NU-Texas match is the first of five matches carried live on both NET and CSTV with the others being Big 12 contests against Kansas State (Oct. 3; 7 p.m.), Iowa State (Oct. 10; 7 p.m.), Missouri (Oct. 31; 7 p.m.) and Colorado (Nov. 7; 7 p.m.).

In addition, NET also will exclusively carry Nebraska’s matches against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 22, and against Hawaii from the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Sunday, Oct. 21.Nebraska’s match at Texas on Oct. 24 will be carried on FSN – the only Big 12 volleyball match as part of the conference’s television package this season. That match will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Lincoln - After a grueling early-season schedule, the Nebraska soccer team takes the week off before heading west to partake in the USC Tournament at McAlister Field. NU will have little time to take in the attractions as it faces two tough Southeastern Conference opponents in Tennessee and Georgia. The Huskers will face their first ranked opponent of the season in No. 13 Tennessee on Friday at 3 p.m. before a 12:30 p.m. showdown with Georgia on Sunday.

The Huskers tangled with four teams last week, but came out unscathed as NU remained unbeaten on the year at 2-0-2. Nebraska notched a 2-0 win over Northwestern to open the season Sept. 2. The team battled Drake to a 1-1 overtime tie on Sept. 5 in Des Moines, Iowa, but came back home to put up a 2-1 victory over Missouri State last Friday. The Huskers followed up with a 0-0 tie with San Diego State last Sunday to end a long week.

One area of the Husker squad that never faltered was the defense. Nebraska has allowed just two goals on the season behind the inspiring play of freshman goalkeeper Jessica Mills. She recorded her second shutout of the season on Sunday against San Diego State and lowered her goals-against average to 0.45, which ranks second in the Big 12.

That Husker defense will get tested this week by the Lady Vols and Bulldogs. Tennessee enters the game ranked No. 13 in the NSCAA/adidas poll, after opening the season with a 2-1 win over then-No. 7 Penn State. Georgia presents its own challenges as the Bulldogs enter the weekend undefeated at 4-0 with four straight home wins. Nebraska has never faced either school, but is 9-1-0 all-time against SEC teams. The Huskers have a 25-10-1 record in games at neutral sites.=====

Lincoln – The Nebraska soccer team battled brisk fall conditions and a stout San Diego State defense on Sunday afternoon, as the Huskers tied the Aztecs 0-0 after two overtimes at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Despite the scoreless affair, Nebraska generated the bulk of the offense. Showing no ill effects of playing their third game in five days, the Huskers (2-0-2) dominated control of the ball as they recorded 24 shots while only allowing seven for the Aztecs (1-1-2). NU had 10 shots on goal to SDSU’s four and racked up eight corners to SDSU’s one.

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Lincoln – Nebraska remained unbeaten on the year by notching a 2-1 victory over Missouri State at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Friday night in front of more than 400 fans.

The Huskers ran their record to 2-0-1 on goals from junior Shay Powell and senior Sari Raber. The match up was essentially won on Nebraska’s early offensive success as the Huskers registered two first-half goals after being shut out in the first 45 minutes in their first two contests. NU recorded 12 shots in the match to MSU’s 11. Nebraska had a slight advantage in corner kicks 7-5, while both teams recorded 14 fouls.

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FREE HUSKER FOOTBALL COMPUTER WALLPAPERS ARE HERE...

Lincoln - Show your loyalty to Nebraska football by downloading free, exclusive Husker football wallpapers to your computer screens. Throughout the 2007 season, Huskers.com will bring you new wallpapers to display at home and at work.

Huskers.com currently has six new football player wallpapers available for the 2007 season, including this week's featured player Marlon Lucky.

To download these exclusive Nebraska football wallpapers created by Dustin Tomes with photographs from Scott Bruhn, simply visit the Nebraska football home page on Huskers.com and click on "2007 Wallpaper" on the left-side menu.

Once inside the wallpaper site, simply click on the magnifying glass below the image and when the larger screen appears, click on the "Larger" icon at the top of the screen. Then, click on the photo image and select "Set as Background" or "Set as Desktop Wallpaper."

To view more wallpaper images, simply click on the numbers above the photo to view other images.

Look for more wallpaper images here each week during football season and show your support for Nebraska football.

Huskers.com also has football wallpapers available from the 2005 and 2006 seasons through the same link. Last season, more than 800,000 free football wallpapers were downloaded by Husker fans around the world.==========

INTERESTING HUSKER WEBSITE LINKS...

Hello!Can you please list HuskerSpot.com on your website? Its a FREE social networking site for Husker fans where they can join to share pictures, videos, and stay connected with each other.It's absolutely FREE to join (please join yourself!) - help me spread the word about this online community of the greatest fans in college football... Husker fans!==========

Recognize that the University of Nebraska is a smaller university in a thinly populated state. We don't have as much as other schools in the Big 12 to draw on---either in alumni base or in state wealth. But in terms of performance and support we're always near the top.

Good things don't happen by themselves. Devaney and Osborne started it. Others have pushed it foward. Among them:

--Bill Byrne was seen as "Dollar Bill"---but he was among the first to show how to build skyboxes that largely paid for themselves. And he put Husker baseball and Hawkes Field on the map.

--Steve Pederson will be known for moving along Solich. But he'll also be known for answering needs that had been there for years---the need for more stadium seating and the need for top-of-the-line football facilities. (Of course, he'll be known for some transgressions too...)

--Husker fans: Outsiders may try to minimize our loyalties.. "There's nothing else to do there." But we've filled our stadium 282 consecutive times (yes, a national record). And among those who care (e.g., bowl selection committees), we've become well-known for traveling to support our team.

Is it true "There is no place like Nebraska"? Yep. We made it that way.

Is it also true that all we've got is each other? You better believe it. There's no one else out there in the media (or in the flesh) doing Nebraska any favors. It's just us.